Totally New To Trap

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sk8r

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I have shot a few rounds of Trap many years ago, and I did enjoy it.

But, now, decades later, I'd like to shoot a little more of it - not wanting to be competitive or get real good at it or anything (I'm a hunter much more than a 'shooter'...). So, my question is whether I can fool around with clays with my ruffie guns - both 22" barrel SxS, one 20 and one 12, or, do i need to go and buy something dedicated i.e. with a longer, vent-rib barrel etc etc ??

NB - I just wanna have a little fun with my shotties, off-season, not hit 25 straight, or anything even close to that.

So, can I do that with my present guns? :confused:

Thanks. :)
 
give it a try, I've shot trap with an 18" barrel before, the choke is the bigger concern over barrel length or barrel orientation.
most trap guns should be mod or tighter. The 12 gauge will serve you better then the 20. Trap is dominated by 12ga.

most important thing is having fun, and there is no better feeling then out shooting people with old field guns.
 
I've just started trap with a Remington 870 pump action. It throws lead and breaks clays. As more than one peron has coached me now, you can't buy skill. Shoot what you have and have fun.
 
I started shooting trap with a 20ga field gun, and got to be very good with it, averaging around 22. It was alot of fun, no pressure, just shooting for fun. Then I bought a dedicated trap gun and started getting more serious about it, and along with that came frustration, as now I'm harder on myself. I shoot 23 and 24's, but only a handful of 25's. The moral of this is that you can certainly shoot your guns at trap, and shoot them well. Have fun with it, and don't let the fudds tell you that your gun isn't right for trap. I had a fudd with a Kreighoff tell me in broken English that I "cant" shoot my 26" field gun, I "needed" 32" barrels. I tried to explain to him I was only out there to have fun and stay sharp for pheasant season. He didn't get it. I made surebi lined up next to him on the next squad. He shot a 21, I shot a 23. He didn't say anything after that. Oh, and my buddy shot a 22 with his camo turkey gun with open sights and turkey choke. Go have fun!!
 
Oh hell yah. The shorter barrel just means your pattern is going to open quicker, so just take the bird sooner rather than letting it get out there. Have fun with it !
 
Ok, here is a really, really girly comment here...I don't even own a shotgun, but I have fallen in love with the Remington 870 Express in Pink Camo. lol...now I have a reason to get one. Our local gun club does clay shotgun shoots every Monday evening during the summer and it sounds like fun. Maybe this is the excuse I was looking for to buy it ;)
 
Thanks for that, all.:)

I'm fairly fast on actual birds, so I guess I just try and keep the fast swing with clays. I guess it's bad manners etc to do follow-ups from my 2nd barrel?? Probably against the rules too, huh?? ;)
 
sk8r said:
Thanks for that, all.:)

I'm fairly fast on actual birds, so I guess I just try and keep the fast swing with clays. I guess it's bad manners etc to do follow-ups from my 2nd barrel?? Probably against the rules too, huh?? ;)
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Depends on the club. Most places tend to frown on a follow up shot on a missed bird when shooting singles trap. Clubs often have a rule that specifies that only one round is to be loaded in the gun when shooting singles.

Don't worry about the gun you are using. Start shooting, have fun and if you get addicted then you might consider another gun.

Also, if it's available in your area you might want to try sporting clays. It's a little closer to hunting and there is usually less concern about a follow-up shot on a missed target.
 
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I shoot trap with either a H&R Pardner single shot 12g, or a Boito 12g OU....both are just hunting guns, both make the clays burst.

If you are wanting to shoot clays to practice for hunting, use the gun/s you plan to hunt with.

Sporting clays is a better representation of what you would see in the field, but trap is good for practicing the flushing away shots.
 
I actually had an RSO tell me to follow up with a second shot if I miss with the first. He said that the one shot at a time rule is just to stop people from loading a bunch of shells into a pump or semi and go to town trying to hit a clay. But that may just be the club I was at, or just that RSOs opinion.
 
Nafer said:
I actually had an RSO tell me to follow up with a second shot if I miss with the first. He said that the one shot at a time rule is just to stop people from loading a bunch of shells into a pump or semi and go to town trying to hit a clay. But that may just be the club I was at, or just that RSOs opinion.
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IMO the "one shot at a time " rule stems from ATA and International trap, but many clubs adopted it because of safety situations where people start changing stations with a loaded gun.
Cat
 
catnthehatt said:
IMO the "one shot at a time " rule stems from ATA and International trap, but many clubs adopted it because of safety situations where people start changing stations with a loaded gun.
Cat
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It is definitely an ATA rule. From their rule book:

In Singles and Handicap shooting he/she may place only one (1) live shell in his/her gun at a time and must remove it or the empty shell(s) before moving from one post to another.
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International trap shooting or bunker is a two shot game where you can shoot twice if you miss with the first shot. Same with "wobble trap."
 
You guys must all be lying about shooting well in trap with regular everyday shotguns.

I've been told by many gun-snobs that you can ONLY shoot well in trap with a $3000 over-under.
 
For what you want to do with what you are using go shoot skeet, sporting clays or 5 stand. There is nothing worse than being on the trap line and having someone on the squad with an 18 - 22 inch barrel deafening you with a massive muzzle blast from those shorter barrels. At least in skeet you are on your station alone with the squad lined up behind you and contrary to what you are thinking, no trap is not a game of fast swinging and chasing the target. It is a game of slowing yourself down and swinging slowly and smoothly to and through the target to pulverise it. The other clay games simulate hunting conditions much better.
 
I've shot trap with an old hunting shotgun, thats all I've ever had. I used to be able to hit 22-24 pretty consistently with an old $35 sxs choked full and improved modified. One of my grandpa's neighbours saw me hit a whole round of doubles without a miss and wanted to see what I could do with his many thousand dollar over under trap gun, I missed every one. Use what you have, a guy I work with uses his KSG sometimes and does ok.
Kristian
 
Helo all, my wife and I are going to start clay shooting, we are so new I haven,t even received my license in the mil yet. I would like to get some ideas as to what we sould be looking for in a couple of resonable quality guns in the $1000 range. Thanks
 
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